THE PREAMBLE

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general, Welfare,
and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish
this Constituion for the United States of America.

ARTICLE I
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE POWER; THE CONGRESS
All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States,
which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

SECTION 2. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by
the people of the several States, and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications
requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature.

2. No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five
years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected,
be an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

3. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within
this Union, according to their respective numbers. The actual enumeration shall be made
within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within
every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number
of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each State shall have
at least one Representative; and, until such enumeration shall be made, the State of
New Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island and
Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight,
Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and
Georgia three.

4. When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the executive authority thereof
shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.

5. The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other officers; and shall have
the sole power of impeachment.

SECTION 3. SENATE

1. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State for
six years; and each Senator shall have one vote.

2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequences of the first election, they
shall be divided, as equally as may be, into three classes. The seats of the Senators, of
the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year; of the second class,
at the expiration of the sixth year; so that one-third may be chosen every second year.

3. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and
been nine years a citizen of the United States, who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant
of that State for which he shall be chosen.

4. The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have
no vote, unless they be equally divided.

5. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the
absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the
United States.

6. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that
purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United States is
tried, the Chief Justice shall preside; and no person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.

7. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office,
and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States; but the party convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable and subjet to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment, according to law.

SECTION 4. ELECTIONS AND MEETINGS
1. The times, places, and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall
be prescribed in each State by the legislature thereof: but the Congress may at any time, by
law, make or alter such regulations, except as to the places of choosing Senators.

2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on
the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

SECTION 5. LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS

1. Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own
members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number
may adjorn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members,
in such manner, and under such penalties, as each House may provide.

2. Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly
behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member.

3. Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and, from time to time, publish the
same, excepting such parts as may, in their judgment, require secrecy; and the yeas and nays
of the members of either House, on any question, shall, at the disire of one-fifth of those
present, be entered on the journal.

4. Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other,
adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses
shall be sitting.

SECTION 6. COMPENSTION, IMMUNITIES, AND DISABILITIES OF MEMBERS

1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be
ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States. They shall, in all
cases, except treason, felon, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their
attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to, and returning from,
the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any
other place.

2. No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed
to any civil office under the authority of the United States, which shall have been created,
or the emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no person, holding
any office under the United States, shall be a member of either House during his continuance
in office.

SECTION 7. REVENUE BILLS, PRESIDENT'S VETO

1. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives, but the
Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other bills.

2. Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall,
before it becomes a law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve,
he shall sign it, but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to that House in which it
shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed
to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, two-thirds of the House shall agree to pass
the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other House, by which it
shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two-thirds of that House, it shall become
a law: But in all such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays,
and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal
of each House respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten
days (Sunday excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law,
in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress, by their adjournment, prevent
its return, in which case it shall not be a law.

3.
Every order, resolution, or vote, to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of
Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment), shall be presented
to the President of the United States; and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or, being disapproved by him, shall be
repassed by two-thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules
and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.

SECTION 8. POWERS OF CONGRESS
The Congress shall have power.
1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts, and provide for
the common defence and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts, and
excises, shall be uniform throughout the United States.

2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States.

3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the
Indian tribes.
4. To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of
bankruptcies, throughout the United States.

5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of
weights and measures.

6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting ant securities and current coin of the
United States.
7. To establish post offices and post roads.
8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing, for limited times, to
authors and inventors, the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.
9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court.

10. To define and punish piracies and felonies, committed on the high seas, and offences
against the law of nations.
11. To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures
on land and water.
12. To raise and support armies; but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a
longer term than two years.
13. To provide and maintain a navy.
14. To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces.
15. To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress
insurrections, and repel invasions.
16. To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, and for governing such
part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the States
respectively the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia,
according to the discipline prescribed by Congress.
17. To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such district
(not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular States, and the acceptance
of Congress, become the seat of the Government of the United States, and to exrcise like
authority over all places, purchased by the consent of the legislature of the State in which
the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other
needful buildings.
18. To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the
foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the
United States, or in any department or officer thereof.

SECTION 9. POWERS DENIED TO CONGRESS
1. The migration or importation of such persons as any of the States now existing shall think
proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year one thousand eight
hundred and eight; but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten
dollars for each person.

2. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when, in cases
of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it.

3. No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed.

4. No capitation, shall be laid, unless in proportion to the census or enumeration here
inbefore directed to be taken.

5. No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any State.

6. No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of
one State over those of another, nor shall vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged
to enter, clear, or pay duties, in another.

7. No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by
law; and a regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public money
shall be published from time to time.

8. No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States; and no person holding any
office of profit or trust under them shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of
any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or
foreign state.

SECTION 10. POWERS DENIED TO THE STATE

1. No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation; grant letters of marque
and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of credit; make anything but gold and silver coin a
tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing
the obligations of contracts, or grant any title of nobility.

2. No State shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any imposts or duties on imports
or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection laws;
and the net produce of all duties and imposts, laid by any State on imports or exports,
shall be for the use of, the treasury of the United States; and all such laws shall be
subject to the revision and control of the Congress.

3. No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops,
or ships of war, in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another State,
or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent
danger as will not admit of delay.

ARTICLE II. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
SECTION 1. PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT

1. The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.
He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and together with the Vice President,
chosen for the same term, to be elected as follows:

2. Each State shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number
of Electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives, to which the State
may be entitled in the Congress; but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office
of trust or profit, under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

CLAUSE 3. ELECTION OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
THIS CLAUSE WAS REPLACED BY THE 12TH AMENDMENT IN 1804.

4. The Congress may determine the time of choosing the Electors, and the day on which they
shall give their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United States.

5. No person, except a natural-born citizen, or a citizen of the United States at the time of
the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall
any person be elegible to that office, who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five
years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.

6. And the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation or
inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what officer shall then act as
President and Vice President, and such officer shall act accordingly, until the disabiltiy
be removed, or a President shall be elected.

7. The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services a compensation, which shall
neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected,
and he shall not receive, with that period, any other emolument from the United States, or
any of them.

8. Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or
affirmation:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm), that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the
United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the
Constitution of the United States."

SECTION 2. PRESIDENT'S POWERS AND DUTIES

1. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the army and navy of the United States, and
of the militia of the several States, when called into the actual service of the United States;
he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive
departments upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall
have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in
cases of impeachment.

2. He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties,
provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers,
and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States whose
appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law;
but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think
proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.

3. The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session.

SECTION 3. PRESIDENT'S POWERS AND DUTIES
He shall, from time to time, give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and
recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient;
he may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of
disagreement beween them, with respect to the time of adjornment, he may adjourn them to
such time as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers;
he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers
of the United States.

SECTION 4. IMPEACHMENT
The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed
from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes
and misdemeanors.

ARTICLE III
JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT
SECTION 1. COURTS, TERMS OF OFFICE

The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such
inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The judges,
both of the Supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior,
and shall, at stated times, receive for their services a compensation which shall not be
diminished during their continuance in office.

SECTION 2. JURISDICTION

1. The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this
Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made,
under their authority; to all cases affecting amassadors, other public ministers, and counsuls;
to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; to controversies to which the
United States shall be a party; to controversies between two or more States, between
citizens of different States, between citizens of the same State claiming lands under
grants of different States.

2. In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and counsuls, and those in
which a State shall be a party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction.
In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction,
both as to law and fact, with such exceptions and under such regulations as the Congress
shall make.

3. The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury; and such trial
shall be heldd in the State where the said crimes shall have been committed; but when not
committed within any State the trial shall be at such place or places as the Congress may
by law have directed.

SECTION 3. TREASON
1.Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them, or in
adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of
treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession
in open court.

2. The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder to
treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person
attainted.

ARTICLE IV
RELATIONS AMONG STATES
SECTION 1. FULL FAITH AND CREDIT
Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the public acts, records, and judicial
proceedings every other State. And the Congress may, by general laws, prescribe the manner
in which such acts, record, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof.

SECTION 2. PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF CITIZENS

1. The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens
in the several States.

2. A person charged in any State with treason, felony, or other crime, who shall flee from
justice, and be found in another State, shall, on demand of the executive authority of the
State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having jurisdiction
of the crime.

SECTION 3. NEW STATES; TERRITORIES

1. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be
formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other State, nor any State be formed by
the junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the consent of the
legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

2. The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations
respecting the territory of other property belonging to the United States; and nothing in
this Constitution shall be so construed as to prejudice any claims of the United States,
or of any particular State.

SECTION 4. PROTECTION AFFORDED TO STATES BY THE NATION
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a republican form of gvernment,
and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of
the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened), against domestic violence.

ARTICL V
PROVISIONS FOR AMENDMENTS
The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose
amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of
the several States, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case,
shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, as part of the Constutution, when ratified by
the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by conventions in three-fourths
thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress;
provided that no State, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in
the Senate.

ARTICLE VI
NATIONAL DEBTS, SUPREMACY OF NATIONAL LAW, OATH
SECTION 1. VALIDITY OF DEBTS
All debts contracted and engagements entered into, before the adoption of this Constitution,
shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the
Confederation.

SECTION 2. SUPREMACY OF NATIONA LAW
This Constitution and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof,
and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States,
shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every State shall be bound thereby,
anything in the constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

SECTION 3. OATHS OF OFFICE
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State
legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the
several States, shall be bound, by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no
religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust
under the United States.

ARTICLE VII
RATIFICATION OF CONSTITUTION
The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment
of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.